Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages launches fund raising campaign to help NYC's Carriage Horses - May, 2006.
Dear Friend of New York City?s Carriage Horses:
We are writing to you today on behalf of NYC's carriage horses to ask
for your help in our campaign to ban the horse-drawn carriage industry
from NYC. We represent the COALITION TO BAN HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGES, a coalition of organizations and individuals
formed in January 2006 in response to a horrific accident in midtown
Manhattan, which involved Spotty, a five-year old carriage horse, who was
so badly injured after colliding with a car, he was euthanized. Please
visit our web site , to find out more
about this cruel and archaic industry, which is an anachronism in modern
day New York City.
WHAT WE HAVE DONE TO DATE:
The COALITION TO BAN HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGES has achieved
excellent media coverage in the daily newspapers NY Newsday and
AM-NY; an interview on Henican and White of WOR radio - all on
May 11th - and coverage in the NY Sun newspaper on May 10th.
Particularly because of the article in AM-NY, which is a very
popular paper given out free at subway stations and in newspaper boxes
throughout NYC, many people are now aware of the plight of
NYC's carriage horses.
Our press release and coverage prompted WCBS TV Channel 2 to do an
on-line poll on May 12th asking: "Should horse-drawn carriages be banned
from Manhattan streets?" The results of that poll, which we presented to
City Council members, was 77% YES and 23% NO.
We have had letters published on this topic in most of the major
newspapers. We currently have two petitioning campaigns, which ask NYC
Mayor Bloomberg and NYC Council Members to support legislation to end this
industry. We have an on-line
petition
and we are currently involved in a street tabling campaign. These
petitions have been signed by numerous New Yorkers and people from many
other states and countries. Our aim is to get a substantial number of
signatures on these petitions to present to the City Council and Mayor
Bloomberg.
In addition, the Coalition for New
York City Animals, which is a founding member of the COALITION TO BAN
HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGES, was instrumental in persuading Council Members Gale
Brewer and Leticia James to withdraw their sponsorship of a bill that was
lobbied hard by the Carriage Industry and would put the burgeoning Pedicab
industry - their competition - out of business.
The League of Humane Voters-NYC,
also a founding member, was successful in persuading Council Members Rosie
Mendez and Melissa Mark Viverato to withdraw their sponsorship from
another bill supported by the Carriage Industry, designed to cripple the
Pedicab competition.
We also have a draft of
legislation
on our web site that would effectively put an end to the horse-drawn
carriage industry that is so out of place in modern day New York City.
WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO:
The COALITION TO BAN HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGES, is a coalition of
five founding member organizations and numerous individuals. They include
the Coalition for New York City Animals, Friends of Animals, League of
Humane Voters - NYC, PEACE and United Action for Animals. We depend on
volunteers and donations from caring people like you to enable us to do
our work. Friends of Animals
has donated 1,000 flyers to this cause, which included the design, copy,
and production. The Mary and Frank Hoffman Foundation has donated the
hosting and maintenance of our web site.
But our passion and commitment can only go so far in making our goals
and vision happen. This is where we need your help to raise funds for the
following:
- Advertising - educating the public about the cruelty of the
horse-drawn carriage industry by advertising in publications that are
read by New Yorkers and tourists, including newspapers, magazines and
billboards
- Campaign Materials - buttons, posters, flyers;
- Research
- Expert Witness Fund - to pay travel expenses for expert witnesses in
the event of Council hearings on this issue.
Please be as generous as you can. Every donation helps. This will be a
long struggle and we have the interest, passion, patience and fortitude to
see it through but we need your support to make it happen. The
horses that pull these carriages on the streets of Manhattan have been
ignored for far too long. Please be their voices.
The Coalition for New York City
Animals, a 501 (c) 4 not -for profit corporation is accepting
donations for this cause. You may send a check to:
Coalition for New York City Animals, Inc.
PO Box 20247
Park West Station
New York, NY 10025
or you may donate by credit card through
Paypal.
Thank you for your time and thank you for caring about the horses.
For the horses and the COALITION TO BAN HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGES,
Elizabeth Forel
Coalition for NYC Animals
Edita Birnkrant
Friends of Animals
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